Jackson fires potshot at Cardinal after flagrant foul

Although both teams discounted any extra intensity in Friday’s game, at least one Spur didn’t take kindly to Brian Cardinal’s flagrant foul in the first quarter when he raked Tim Duncan on the eyes while Duncan was attempting a shot midway through the second quarter.

New Spurs forward Stephen Jackson didn’t like how Cardinal attacked the Spurs captain when he was hit while driving for the basket.

The play occurred with 6:40 left in the second quarter, 37 seconds after Cardinal was inserted into the game for the first time by Dallas coach Rick Carlisle.

“To me, it was a dirty play,” Jackson said. “When you can’t play no more, I guess all you can do is go out and try to hurt people.”

Duncan remained on the ground receiving treatment for several harrowing moments for the Spurs. But he recovered quickly and provided a slam dunk on the ensuing play after his technical foul shots.

“ At the end of the day, Tim’s my teammate and I care about his health,” Jackson said. “As you see, Tim came back the next play and dunked on him. That’s how you’ve got to reply to people like that, who can’t play no more.”

Truthfully, television replays indicated that Cardinal might have been trying to holding Duncan from falling. The flagrant foul could be rescinded by the league on appeal and didn’t seem as premeditated as Dirk Nowitzki’s frustration technical when he pushed Danny Green late in the game.